In the prior art, it is known that the intensity of a light beam applied to certain materials can control the dielectric constant, the refractive index and the absorption coefficient of the material. Such changes affect the propagation of the light beam within the material. Such materials are called nonlinear optical materials. In various arrangements, gases, liquids, and solids have been used as nonlinear optical materials.
The theory of reflection and refraction at a nonlinear interface has been discussed by A. E. Kaplan in Soviet Physics JETP 45(5) May 1977. Translation by American Institute of Physics, pages 896-905.
It is desirable to develop an integrated solid-state optical device wherein the intensity of a light beam applied to the device controls the propagation of that beam through the device. In IEEE Spectrum, June 1981, pages 26-33, P. W. Smith and W. J. Tomlinson describe examples of solid materials wherein the propagation of a light beam through the material is controlled by intensity of the beam. A problem in developing an integrated solid-state optical device is that none of the prior art materials is suitable for developing such an integrated optical device for operation at room temperature.